Patent GB-675851-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for producing photographic copies of documents
IPC: G03B27/46
Filed: 1947-12-02
Abstract: 675,851. Photographic document-copying apparatus. BESSERER, J. Dec. 2, 1947 [July 5, 1946], No. 31814/47. Classes 98 (i) and 98 (ii). Apparatus for the production of photographic copies of commercial records located on separate documents by successive exposures of new areas of photographic material in strip form or mounted on a strip, comprises means for feeding the photographic material non-continuously past an exposure opening having a masking plate adjustably mounted to bring selectively one of a number of apertures therein or interchangeable with a plate having a different size aperture so as to vary the dimensions of the opening in accordance with those of the record to be copied. As shown in Fig. 1, a copying camera 7 is mounted in a housing 1 having a window 4 in its front wall against which a document to be copied is pressed by a hinged flap 3 engaged by an eccentric wedge catch 5. A partition 10 extending across the focal plane of the camera is provided with an exposure aperture 11, and between it and the camera lens 8, a masking plate having slit apertures 13... 13<SP>111</SP> of different dimensions is suspended within lateral guides by a cord 14 passing over a pulley system to a pivoted lever 15 having a locking detent 18 adapted to engage in one or other of a series of recesses 17 on a plate 16 according to the slit selected. In copying ledger entries on to an account summary, the largest slit which is of the full width of the film is used to record the name of the account holder and the smallest slit which is only one line high is used for the individual entries. For making two copies of the record simultaneously, the photographic material is in the form of two strips 21, 21<SP>1</SP> and passes from supply spools 20, 201 beneath the partition plate 10, which with the rear wall forms a guide, over a roller 23, and between a feed roller 24 and a presser roller 25 to a developing chamber and means for cutting the strips (not shown). On moving the latch 5 to secure the flap 3 and so to hold the document to be copied in place in front of the window 4, a switch 44 is closed so that the document illuminating lamps 6, 6<SP>1</SP> and pilot lamps 45, 45<SP>1</SP> light, the shutter release being controlled by a photo-electrically operated time-switch to ensure uniformity of exposure. On actuating a press button 36, the strips are fed forward by the height of one recorded line by a motor 32 driving by gears 33, 29 a disc 28 which is fixed on the shaft of the strip feeding roller and is provided with notches 27 into which the nose of a pivoted lever 35 drops at the end of each strip feed. The press button 36 momentarily energizes a solenoid 37, so that its core 38 moves the lever 35 to free the disc 28 and, by a link 40, closes the motor switch 39, 41, simultaneously lighting a pilot lamp 46. Fig. 4 shows a contact printer for copying documents. A strip 21<SP>11</SP>, comprising pocketform celluloid frames 66 hinged together and in each of which a sheet of light-sensitive material is removably carried, is fed, in its passage between supply and take-up spools 70, 70<SP>1</SP>, beneath a recessed exposure window 4 by a manually rotated wheel 67 which is chain and sprocket connected to the spools. A masking plate 9 with apertures 13 is slidable in front of the strip 21<SP>11</SP> in guides 12 against a counterweight 63 by means of cables 14, 141 connected to the plate by releasable couplings 64, 64<SP>1</SP> and controlled by a lever 15. A shutter 53 carried by bars 55 slidable in guides 54, 541 is urged to close the window 4 by springs 56, and a plate 47 is spring-urged to clamp the strip against the masking plate 9 during an exposure. To make an exposure, the original having been placed in the window 4 and the flap 3 lowered, a lamphouse 52 carrying lamps 6, 61 and mounted on rollers 50, 501 is moved along guides 51, 51<SP>1</SP> and strikes projections 58, 58<SP>1</SP> on the shutter 53 thereby moving it clear of the window 4. Prior to moving the shutter the lamphouse releases the far ends of levers 61 supported on pins 62 where they extend through slots 60, whereby the free ends of the levers, when in the position shown, are caused to engage and depress the plate 47 against its springs 48, are moved to allow the plate to be pressed by its springs to clamp the strip 21<SP>11</SP> against the masking plate 9. On returning the lamphouse to its initial position, the springs 56 move the shutter plate to reclose the window 4 and the levers 61 are pivoted to depress the plate 47 and free the strip 21<SP>11</SP>. The masking plate 9 may be replaced by removable masks of different apertures.